Alberta Clipper
The next snow maker for the Maritime provinces will be an Alberta Clipper. An Alberta Clipper is a fast moving low pressure system that originates near or from Alberta. Typically they don’t pack as much snow as our coastal winter storms due to the clippers faster speed, weaker strength, and lower moisture content.
Snow from the Clipper will develop in New Brunswick Thursday. A chance of flurries Thursday for Nova Scotia and PEI followed by snow Thursday night into Friday.
Snow develops Thursday into Friday
The first of the snow arrives in northern New Brunswick during Thursday morning. Snow will then develop across New Brunswick during the day on Thursday with a chance of flurries for Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia by Thursday afternoon. Both Prince Edward Island and a large area of Nova Scotia will get into the snow Thursday night into Friday morning.
The snow may mix with rain in western areas of Nova Scotia on Friday. The snow will then ease to a chance of flurries for northern and western areas of New Brunswick by Friday afternoon.
Higher amounts of snow from Thursday through Friday evening looks most likely for parts of northern New Brunswick and western Prince Edward Island with amounts of 10 to 20 cm. The remainder of the Maritimes will see less than 10 cm of snow through that period of time. Additional snow may fall and accumulate for parts of Prince Edward Island and eastern Nova Scotia Friday night and Saturday.
Snow amounts for Thursday into Friday evening. Further snow is possible for parts of PEI and Nova Scotia Friday night into Saturday.
Weekend and Monday
The most uncertainty in the forecast for the system comes on the weekend and for the start of next week. After passing across the Maritimes Thursday into Friday, the clipper may stall to the south of Sable Island. Should that happen, further periods of snow or flurries accompanied by gusty winds are likely on the weekend for parts of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. On Monday, as the low pressure system moves towards eastern Newfoundland, a further round of snow and flurries for the Maritimes is possible.
After coming across the Maritimes, the system may stall and continue to impact our weather on the weekend and into Monday.
